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Master Sword
The Master Sword, also known as The Blade of Evil's Bane or as the Sword of Time, is a recurring sword in the Zelda series. Crafted by the ancient Sages the Master Sword holds the power to repel evil, and it is usually the only sword that can defeat Ganon in the games it appears in. Ever since the Link from Ocarina of Time retrieved it from the Pedestal of Time and defeated Ganon with it, the Master Sword has become analogous with the legend of the Hero of Time. As such, this legendary weapon is considered to be the most recognized sword in the Zelda series, being displayed in title logos such as in A Link to the Past and appearing as Link's main weapon in other games like Soulcalibur II and the Super Smash Bros. series. Creation and History According to the English manual of A Link to the Past, after Ganon entered the Golden Land and obtained the Triforce, the people of Hyrule and the Seven Sages created a sword resistant to magic, which could even repulse powers granted by the Triforce. Although the Sages tried to find someone brave to wield the Master Sword, they never found such a person, leaving the Sages, with the aid of the knights of Hyrule, to seal away Ganon instead. Eventually, the Temple of Time was built by the ancient Sages and, within it, they placed the Master Sword in the Pedestal of Time. However, the entrance to the Master Sword chamber is sealed by the Door of Time. When the Master Sword was infused into the Pedestal of Time, it sealed that gateway in the hopes of preventing all but the most worthy to reach the Sacred Realm, where the sacred Triforce lies within the Temple of Light. It is said that only the Hero of Time may enter the secret chambers of the temple and draw the Master Sword. If the Hero of Time withdraws the Master Sword from its pedestal, it will once again open the portal to the Sacred Realm, granting access to the Temple of Light. Discrepancies Although the English manual of A Link to the Past mentions that the Master Sword was not created until after Ganon invaded the Golden Land, the Japanese manual states that it was forged long before the Imprisoning War occurred. Shortly after the creation of the world, the Goddesses instructed the people of Hyrule to forge a sword that would have the power to vanquish anyone who misused the Triforce. The location of the blade was already forgotten by the time of the Imprisoning War, and no hero was found worthy of wielding it. Interestingly, both the English and Japanese manual of A Link to the Past describe that the Master Sword was forged by the "people of Hyrule", and not necessarily by the Ancient Sages. It isn't until Twilight Princess that Princess Zelda mentions the Ancient Sages forged the Master Sword. However, Skyward Sword, which takes place before the events of Ocarina of Time and A Link to the Past, reveals that the Master Sword was originally once known as the Skyward Sword, where it rested in a floating island above the clouds known as Skyloft. Design, Abilities and Characteristics The Master Sword's most known ability is the power to vanquish evil and break curses that involve powerful, dark magic. However, in order to keep the power to repel evil intact, two Sages, known as the Earth Sage and the Wind Sage, are in charge of praying to the gods and thus infuse the Master Sword with the gods' power. Should something happen to these Sages, the Master Sword will weaken and lose its might to combat evil. Only the true hero that is "pure of heart and strong of body" is capable of wielding the sacred blade, and as such, those with tainted hearts cannot even touch this powerful sword. If a hero who is too young to bear the title that comes with the Master Sword withdraws this blade from its pedestal, the Master Sword will seal away the hero's soul and awaken him when the bearer comes of age to wield it. The Master Sword also acts as a key to gain entrance to the Temple of Light. If the Master Sword is retrieved from its pedestal in the Temple of Time, the portal to the Sacred Realm will open, eventually leading to the Triforce. Other than acting as the entrance to the Temple of Light, the sacred blade, in conjunction with the Pedestal of Time, has the ability to lock away evil magic and prevent its bearer from using it until the Master Sword is withdrawn from its pedestal. Additionally, the bearer of the sword can travel through time to some extent by simply thrusting the Master Sword into the Pedestal of Time. The hero is able to travel backwards and forwards through the seven years of his life that were lost when he was kept in the Sacred Realm until he was old enough to hold the sword. When in the Twilight, the Master Sword itself can be infused with the power of the Sols from the Twilight Realm, allowing it to cut through the dark fog that exists in the realm. Appearances ''A Link to the Past'' The Master Sword in A Link to the Past is the legendary blade that rests in the Lost Woods of northwestern Hyrule in a pedestal with ancient Hylian inscribed on it. The ancient text says the hero with three symbols of virtue will wield it on cataclysm's eve, reading: "The Hero's triumph on Cataclysm's Eve wins three Symbols of Virtue. The Master Sword he will then retrieve, keeping the knights' line true." In order to defeat the evil wizard Agahnim that has taken over Hyrule Castle, Link must obtain the Master Sword. However, before the young hero can wield it, he must first acquire the three Pendants of Virtue that are scattered throughout the land. After doing so, he retrieves the sacred blade from the Pedestal of Time within the Lost Woods, defeating Agahnim with it and, eventually, Ganon. With Hyrule safe from evil, Link places the Master Sword back in its pedestal, never to be used again. During the course of the game, Link can upgrade the Master Sword to the Tempered Sword and, ultimately, the Golden Sword. Moreover, he can obtain the magic of the Bombos, Quake, and Ether Medallion by holding the Master Sword up into the sky next to certain inscriptions around Hyrule. Ocarina of Time After clearing the Forest Temple, Link can travel back to his original time by placing the Master Sword in the Pedestal of Time. This becomes necessary as the young hero journeys to awaken all of the Six Sages. Similarly, he can travel seven years into the future by simply taking the sword from its pedestal. Eventually, the young hero confronts the King of Evil and is able to defeat him with the power of the Master Sword along with the help of the Seven Sages. With Hyrule safe from evil, Link lays the sacred blade to rest in its pedestal and closes the Door of Time, returning to the time of his youth before departing to another journey. The Biggoron's Sword, obtained for completing the Ocarina of Time Trading Sequence, is more powerful than the Master Sword. However, it takes two hands to wield, therefore Link cannot use his Shield to defend himself while using it. Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons The Master Sword makes a reappearance in the Oracle series, fittingly as the most powerful sword in the game. When combined with the power of the Red Ring, the Master Sword is capable of taking down almost any boss in two to three Spin Attacks. The only way to unlock the Master Sword is to have finished one of the games, and to have started a Linked Game on the opposite game. When a certain secret in the game is found and told to Farore, she will upgrade the Noble Sword Link currently holds into the Master Sword. However, if Link still has the Wooden Sword, the Wooden Sword will become the Noble Sword, and the Master Sword will be found where the Noble Sword would have been. The Master Sword, fittingly, is the only sword capable of hurting Ganon without resorting to spin attacks. ''The Wind Waker'' The Master Sword is predominately referred to as the Blade of Evil's Bane in The Wind Waker's legends and lies in a hidden chamber in Hyrule Castle, deep beneath the waves of the Great Sea. With the Master Sword resting in the Pedestal of Time, the sacred blade serves as a key to seal away Ganondorf's magic, keeping Hyrule frozen in time and all those who inhabit it. However, the Master Sword's use as a key to lock evil away is broken when a young Link unknowingly draws the blade under the direction of the King of Red Lions.[22] In doing so, he unwittingly awakens Ganondorf's army from their ancient slumber and also allows Ganon to use his magic again. Later, Link learns that since Ganon murdered the Sages of Earth and Wind, Laruto and Fado respectively, the Master Sword had lost its power to repel evil. As such, Link must awaken the two new Sages in order to regain that lost power It is then explained that those Sages are necessary in order to pray to the gods for the Master Sword and the Hero who wields it and to keep it glowing with the power to repel evil. After making his way to the top of the tower, Link, with the help of Princess Zelda, fights against Ganondorf using the Master Sword's power. To deal the final blow, the young hero thrusts the sacred blade into Ganondorf's forehead, which causes the King of Evil to completely turn into stone. Hyrule is then flooded by the wishes of the King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule, leaving the Master Sword impaled in Ganon's skull as the forgotten kingdom is destroyed by the waves. ''Twilight Princess'' The Master Sword in Twilight Princess is located deep within the Faron Woods in the Sacred Grove, which are the ruins of the Temple of Time. The blade is said to have once been held by the Legendary Hero. When Link is permanently turned into a wolf by Zant's magic, Princess Zelda mentions that the Master Sword is the only relic that can break the curse placed on him. Link then ventures to the Sacred Grove and draws the blade from its pedestal, allowing Link to return to his Hylian form. *as it resides in the temple's ruins, a place that is notably similar to the sword's resting place in A Link To The Past. The sword is, in comparison with the shield and the overall height of Link, considerably bigger than in the other 3D releases. Regardless, the general design is consistent throughout them all. ''Light-infused Master Sword'' In the Palace of Twilight, Link fuses the Master Sword with the power of the Sols. This Light-Infused Master Sword enables Link to defeat most Twilight Monsters in a single blow. The sword is also capable of clearing away the Dark Fog that causes Link to revert back to wolf form. This upgrade is only usable while in the Twilight Realm. Midna notes that the Sols' light being transferred to the Master Sword is the work of the gods of the Twilight Realm, and that they too are on Link's side. Some fans believe that during the boss battle against Puppet Zelda, the light infusion of the sword gives it the ability to repel projectile attacks being sent at Link in order to damage the foe. However, there is no evidence to support this as the Master Sword was perfectly able to do this in previous games without the light infusion. In fact, this ability of repelling these evil attacks could be part of the sword's "power to repel evil". The most likely answer is simply because the sword is highly reflective due to the fact the Empty Bottles can be used for the same purpose in a few games of the series. In the final battle against Ganondorf, Link uses the Ending Blow to thrust the Master Sword into Ganondorf's chest, defeating him. During the ending credits, Link places the sword back in its pedestal in the Sacred Grove before leaving the land of Hyrule. Category:Legend of Zelda